Girlfriend?

The air was calm, with dry, withered leaves rustling softly around them. A cold, soft breeze brushed against Ivy's face. "It's alright, I don't hold any grudge," Dominic said, his voice breaking the silence. "But why are you avoiding me?"

Ivy sighed softly, her words barely audible but clear in the quiet night. "You have a girlfriend, and you went all the way to attend her graduation... I don't want to fall for a man who's already committed."

Dominic chuckled, clearly amused. "Girlfriend?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "So you've been avoiding me because you thought I had a girlfriend?"

Ivy looked confused, but he saw the slight embarrassment on her face.

To clear up her doubts, Dominic added, "I don't have a girlfriend. I don't know where that rumor came from, but I went out of town to attend my cousin's graduation. We're pretty close." He leaned back, waiting for her reaction.

Ivy's face flushed bright red, filled with shock and embarrassment. Her stern eyes widened, and a flicker of happiness danced behind them. As she processed his words, Dominic couldn't help but smile, his lips curving in a way that showed the small mole at the corner of his mouth. He gazed at her, his eyes soft, taking in the beauty of her expressions.

He leaned in, his smirk widening. "So, are you gonna resume looking at me... Lustfully?" he teased, his voice low and playful.

Ivy blinked in surprise, her mind racing. "Lustfully? I never looked at you like that," she stammered, trying to compose herself. But the words spilled out before she could stop them. "I agree, you're handsome, you have a good body, well-defined abs, a buffed chest, and strong muscular arms. You look super cool every time you roll up your sleeves to hold scalpels... but I was never thirsty for you!"

She froze, realizing too late that she had just described him in the most thirsty way possible. She could feel the heat creeping up her neck.

Dominic, clearly amused, let out a soft laugh. "Right, you never looked at me like that," he said, his tone light but knowing.

Ivy cursed herself inwardly, mentally facepalming at how quickly she'd agreed to everything he said. The awkwardness of the moment hit her, and she wished the ground would swallow her whole.